s in England, with his guitar, and his other whims and follies,"
he went on to say that when Hamilton had heard him out, he would be
enabled to judge whether the visit ended in perfect innocence or not.
"Lady Chesterfield is amiable, it must be acknowledged," said he, "but
she is far from being such a miracle of beauty as she supposes herself:
you know she has ugly feet; but perhaps you are not acquainted that
she has still worse legs. They are short and thick, and to remedy these
defects as much as possible, she seldom wears any other than green
stockings. I went yesterday to Miss Stuart's after the audience of those
damned Muscovites: the king arrived there just before me; and as if the
duke had sworn to pursue me wherever I went that day, he came in just
after me. The conversation turned upon the extraordinary appearance of
the ambassadors. I know not where that fool Crofts had heard that
all these Muscovites had handsome wives; and that all their wives had
handsome legs. Upon this the king maintained, that no woman ever had
such handsome legs as Miss Stuart; and she to prove the truth of his
majesty's assertion, with the greatest imaginable ease, immediately
showed her leg above the knee. Some were ready to prostrate themselves
in order to adore its beauty, for indeed none can be handsomer; but
the duke alone began to criticize upon it. He contended that it was too
slender, and that as for himself he would give nothing for a leg that
was not thicker and shorter, and concluded by saying that no leg was
worth anything without green stockings; now this in my opinion was a
sufficient demonstration that he had just seen green stockings, and had
them fresh in his remembrance."

At hearing this story, Hamilton, being deeply in love with Lady
Chesterfield, was scarcely less agitated or less jealous than her lord;
but he was obliged to conceal his feelings. Therefore, assuming the tone
of an impartial hearer, he shrugged his shoulders, declared appearances
were often deceitful, and maintained that even if she had given herself
airs to encourage the duke, there were no grounds to show she had been
culpable of improprieties. My lord expressed himself much obliged to
his friend for the interest he had shown in his troubles, and after
exchanging a few compliments they parted. Hamilton, full of wrath,
returned home, and wrote a letter replete with violent expostulations
and tender reproaches to the woman he loved. This he delivere